Affordable extra care housing provider, Preferred Homes, has announced the expansion of its development pipeline, with four new site acquisitions and planning successes.
The sites in Crawley, Exeter, Bicester and Camborne take the developer and operator’s portfolio to more than a dozen locations, including several in planning and construction.
Preferred Homes delivers affordable rented homes with on-site care and support services to help older people with care needs who can’t access suitable homes from the private rental market.
The provider has acquired the former St Catherine’s hospice site in Crawley and has recently submitted a planning application for 83 affordable apartments. Crawley will be the first Preferred Homes development for residents of all ages with care needs. Through its partnership with West Sussex County Council and Crawley Borough Council, Preferred Homes is responding to a local need for extra care housing across all age demographics.
Preferred Homes also exchanged contracts to acquire a former leisure centre site owned by Exeter City Council. Preparations are underway to submit a planning application for 71 apartments of extra care housing, which will help to satisfy the requirement for much-needed supported housing within the city.
Elsewhere, in Bicester, Preferred Homes has secured planning approval for an 82-apartment extra care housing scheme, with construction expected to start in the coming months. The site is located on the outskirts of Bicester town centre at Kingsmere, which is undergoing significant regeneration to provide new homes, schools and recreational areas for the local community.
Continuing its roll-out of schemes across the country, Preferred Homes has secured planning permission for 74 apartments of extra care housing in Camborne, Cornwall. The site is part of the former Cornwall Council offices and car park on Dolcoath Avenue and will be Preferred Homes’ first in the south west of England.
Preferred Homes worked closely with Cornwall Council throughout the pre-application stage, with the council set to commit to a 25-year Nominations Agreement at the scheme.
A registered provider of social housing, Preferred Homes has plans to deliver up to 50 developments over the next seven years, focusing on areas across England with the greatest need for affordable housing and care provision. Preferred Homes already has two open schemes in Leeds and Telford, with its third scheme in Hucknall, Nottingham set to open this year.
Findlay MacAlpine, chief executive officer of Preferred Homes, said: “With a number of our developments progressing across the country, Preferred Homes is quickly becoming a leading provider of affordable extra care housing. Our developments are meeting a critical need for suitable housing and effective care for our ageing population.”
“It’s great to see local authorities recognising this and a wider awareness building around the importance of affordable extra care housing for rent. We’re now operating nationally and working closely with councils to identify areas where extra care housing can make the biggest impact.”
“Our close partnerships ensure we’re not just filling gaps but delivering homes that meet the needs of local communities – which will be critical as we continue to scale our portfolio.”
